Monday, April 03, 2006

Insomnia

For the last several months, I've been suffering from insomnia. I used to wish that I could be a person who thrived under only a few hours sleep a night. Now I find myself forced to regularly, and I can't believe how much I value sleep. The ability to just slip away from the world for awhile and wake up refreshed is such a gift.

Last night I stayed up late finishing Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz. This man has quickly become one of my top five authors. His fierce honesty and devotion to the Lord shine through on every page. Often he clarifies or forces to the surface thoughts of my own I hadn't been able to put to words. Miller makes it so clear that what Jesus gives us unconditionally and freely is love, and that love is what He requires from us in return, not just for Him, but for the whole world. There's a lot of angry rhetoric out there about them against us be it fundamentalists vs evangelicals, Democrats vs Republicans, or Protestants vs Catholics, there is always a "we're better than they are" attitude that Christians are very guilty of propagating in the world. Much of Miller's writing in this book address that our message in the Church as the bride of Christ needs to be one of love for the world. Comparing ourselves to other people and judging their sins only keeps us trapped in a cycle without love or God. Miller is a powerfully affecting writer who has the potential to change lives. God knows that he's changed mine. Read this book and Blue Like Jazz and anything else Miller writes (including his new book To Own a Dragon).

The other book I finished yesterday was, Southern Storm, the second book in the Cape Refuge series by Terri Blackstock. Warning: if you are a Blackstock fan, please don't blast me for this review; I am too! But this book made me so frustrated I had to force myself to finish it. Blair has not become any more likeable since the first book, and that's a problem considering she's the main character. Truth be told: there are no likeable characters in this book. This book seems to be so plot driven that the characters are forced to commit every action whether it seems in their nature or not. I don't understand why the Owen sisters even live in Cape Refuge, everyone in town is mean and stuck-up. Every cop or agent in the book is an imbecile. Morgan is so passive she spends most of her time either oblivious to what's going on around her or sobbing. Blair is so aggressive, she truly is a woman only God could love (hey, I have days like that too, but Blair seems to be stuck in a rut). She runs roughshod over everyone and they give in to her, even when it doesn't make sense. I love the idea of Hanover House and Cape Refuge, but I won't be finishing this series. I can't. Too many implausibilities and the power of the message of Jesus was lost. That said, I loved Newpointe 911, Sun Coast Chronicles, and many other books by Blackstock, but this series just isn't worth your time.

It's very windy and chilly outside today. I'm still spring cleaning inside. Today I'm going to tackle the top of the fridge and try rearranging some cupboards. I've added some new authors to my links down the side of the page. Check them out!

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